BlueWolf's Howl

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March 20, 2003

Almost there...

I've updated my "read books" and "pages read" area... I've finally finished that large Security Design book. The miracle of it all is not just that I completed it, but that I completed it in spite of the pull of my interest towards the tv and the nightly news. It's so hard to stay focused and move forward when events like war and potential terrorist attacks take center stage on your mind.

And it would be that I'm studying Security at this time. This makes it twice as hard. Once you start reading and considering disaster recovery plans...then you start wondering what type (and extent) of disaster recovery you need to plan... It's a different world out there now. The threats are much different and of a higher level. The contingency plans have to cover things we couldn't possibly imagine just a few simple years ago.

So I finished reading the book and doing the chapter quizzes. I'm going to go over each chapter quiz and case study. Then I'm going to seek out every practice quiz and skill drill I can find. For those that don't know...every one of these books comes with some practice tests. I like the Sybex ones best because you can take a practice exam on the entire material - or take individual chapter exams. The chapter exams help you to find your weak spots so you can shore up those knowledge areas. And there are free skill drills and assessment exams all over the Internet. Granted...you only get a few questions for free (to entice you to buy more practice questions), but they're good for building confidence and getting mentally prepared for anything they could possibly throw at you.

I took one of the practice exams tonight and it appears that I'm already at the "passing" level... just barely...but right on the line. I'm going to call in the morning to try to schedule the exam for Monday. I'm hoping to get a seat at my favorite testing center for the 8:30 slot...

I should be ready by Monday. *crosses fingers and toes and plunks $125 on the table on a familiar bet* Okay, Bill. I betcha I know this stuff...

Posted by BlueWolf on March 20, 2003 10:05 PM